'15 GT or wait for Focus RS?

[Darin1991]

I love my Focus ST and am incredibly excited to see more stats on the RS but I'm going with the '15 GT although I do have a feeling I'm going to miss my ST and would really like an RS. For me though it's about that big V8 and the Mustang is probably my favorite vehicle (I'll admit I'm biased haha)

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[DeColores]

Our came with Goodyear AS, THEY ARE THE BEST AS I have ever driven, but I still got got the Goodyear ulter grip ice WRT, and I got the Thule CG 9 chains that I dought I'll ever need.

So far winter has been a lot of fun, but it's sad to say it hasn't been fun for a lot of people I have driven by with their FWD, and AWD cars, SUV's and trucks in the ditch or tree. I believe over confidence is the biggest trouble in winter driving. Mustang makes us a better drive because we are having fun and tuned in.

Our Mustang drives so good it we are stuck or in the trouble it will not because of the Mustang abilities.

Watch out for the other guy,

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[B-52 Jetman]

I'm guessing you've never driven an St? You might not say "just a Focus" if you had. Not sounding angry or anything, I know I'm treading dangerous waters by posting this thread in a Mustang forum but if the RS is half as good as everyone is predicting then I will have a tough choice, regardless of price. And an RS would also be a part of automotive history, though I greatly respect your view on the Mustang history.

True, all cars are a part of automotive history...some are much more significant than others.

 

[2Cool]

I traded a '14 ST for my GT. Had the RS been available when I purchased the ST I likely would have been driving that instead, and probably wouldn't have traded. It was a very good handling car, and the utility of the interior space and hatchback were all big pluses. The recaros were nice, if a bit tight on the hips.

Still no confirmation on whether the RS will actually be AWD. If not, 350hp in a FWD would be unbearable.

 

[B-Fox]

If the RS is actually AWD and in the 330-350HP range, it would be a hard decision for me between that and a GT. I'm not a big Focus fan either, but I've driven the ST so I can imagine that car with more power and AWD would be amazingly fun.

 

[Khyber]

it doesn't make sense to have the st and the rs to both be fwd, but hey you never know.

 

[Hockeypucks]

I love my Focus ST and am incredibly excited to see more stats on the RS but I'm going with the '15 GT although I do have a feeling I'm going to miss my ST and would really like an RS. For me though it's about that big V8 and the Mustang is probably my favorite vehicle (I'll admit I'm biased haha)

The ST was a very special car but I'm feeling that V8 pulling me in ha

 

[TiE2000]

I'm sure the RS will be pretty limited but not impossible to obtain. That's another factor I really like about the RS, the prestige and rare quality it'll have. As sweet as this new Mustang is, they're gonna be very common (with good reason, I'm not knocking it in any way) but I would like to stand out as well. Thanks for the tire comment, I've never owned a DD RWD car (had a few trucks) so I would be a little worried about that.

I am liking the DIB GT with the 20" wheels, not sure why there are so few pics of these out there but I suppose most are going with the PP. I despise black wheels on any car so if I went with PP I'd have to immediately change those.

The Focus RS wont be THAT limited. They are a global car. Find a good dealer who excepts x-plan and you'll be fine. Don't buy off the lot and have one built.

As for the Mustang... DIB FTW! I have your exact configuration on order right now. Mine's a premium with added Foundry wheels, MSRP is 38,220, with dealer handling. My dealer is giving me x-plan so I'm out the door at 36,000.

I'm a Colorado Native, and even if I was still living in state, I would be getting the mustang over the RS. Get some Blizarks for winter driving, with the added wet/snow setting and you'll do just fine. Besides, the Mustang is way better looking than ANY focus!

EDIT - also, yes AWD is good in the snow, unless you have summer tires (as the RS WILL come with them) so either way you'll, have to get winter tires. If I had a quarter for every EVO / STi I saw on the side of the highway during a snow storm, I could buy a second mustang for my wife.

 

[smdandb2]

The RS won't make an appearance as AWD. If by some miracle it does, expect it to be in the 40k+ range.

To me, it just does not make sense for Ford to engineer the Focus chassis to be AWD for one special model especially since it has never offered the RS as AWD before.

I sure hope I am wrong though. I hope they can slap Focus sheetmetal on an Escape floor pan.

If the car ends up being FWD I really don't know what it's competitors will be at that price range. It will end up competing with the STI I feel, and people seriously considering an STI won't be cross shopping a FWD 350hp Focus.

 

[Hockeypucks]

The Focus RS wont be THAT limited. They are a global car. Find a good dealer who excepts x-plan and you'll be fine. Don't buy off the lot and have one built.

As for the Mustang... DIB FTW! I have your exact configuration on order right now. Mine's a premium with added Foundry wheels, MSRP is 38,220, with dealer handling. My dealer is giving me x-plan so I'm out the door at 36,000.

I'm a Colorado Native, and even if I was still living in state, I would be getting the mustang over the RS. Get some Blizarks for winter driving, with the added wet/snow setting and you'll do just fine. Besides, the Mustang is way better looking than ANY focus!

EDIT - also, yes AWD is good in the snow, unless you have summer tires (as the RS WILL come with them) so either way you'll, have to get winter tires. If I had a quarter for every EVO / STi I saw on the side of the highway during a snow storm, I could buy a second mustang for my wife.

You have very valid points and similar lines of thinking I've had. I just wonder if the RS will be different enough from the ST as to justify the cost and buying experience. Whereas I KNOW the GT will be very different in every way. I love these Mustangs with the 20" wheels, just gorgeous.

 

[JonnyMustang]

The RS won't make an appearance as AWD. If by some miracle it does, expect it to be in the 40k+ range.

To me, it just does not make sense for Ford to engineer the Focus chassis to be AWD for one special model especially since it has never offered the RS as AWD before.

The engineers do it all the time. The Flex, Explorer, Taurus, Fusion, and Escape are FWD vehicles with 4WD/AWD options. Just another day at the office for them. :ford:

 

[Hockeypucks]

I didn't want to start yet another thread about "will the RS be AWD or not," rather just wanted to see how people thought about the two cars. I don't really care one way or the other about AWD but I know I'll like both the RS and GT so either way I'm gonna have a fun choice. But fortunately we live in a great time for cars and the options are far better than when I first started driving (mid 90s).

 

[JonnyMustang]

I didn't want to start yet another thread about "will the RS be AWD or not," rather just wanted to see how people thought about the two cars. I don't really care one way or the other about AWD but I know I'll like both the RS and GT so either way I'm gonna have a fun choice. But fortunately we live in a great time for cars and the options are far better than when I first started driving (mid 90s).

To me though, the RS being AWD should factor into your decision. Who wants to wait on their hands for a souped up Focus ST (FWD)? If they won't do AWD then you might as well invest in modding a Focus ST or get a Mustang GT.

 

[BoomBoy]

If you're shopping for a Ford RS, you may as well look at a VW Golf R. Both cars are similar and we all know Golf R is AWD.

 

[genericuser1]

I didn't want to start yet another thread about "will the RS be AWD or not," rather just wanted to see how people thought about the two cars. I don't really care one way or the other about AWD but I know I'll like both the RS and GT so either way I'm gonna have a fun choice. But fortunately we live in a great time for cars and the options are far better than when I first started driving (mid 90s).

I went from an STI hatch to an M3 not the same as an ST to Mustang but comparable to a degree. As you said it's an apples versus oranges comparison but one that some are making.

You can get by with good performance all-seasons on the RS (assuming AWD) depending on where you live. In a heavy snow area you need winter tires.

For RWD you need winter tires.

I'm interested in what Ford will announce for the RS and I want to see the pricing of the GT350 and the next Camaro. I'm not in a hurry.

As to pricing I expect the RS to start at $32k-$34k if AWD and top out at $40k. A GT spec'd how I want is $44k so it would be cheaper for me, more practical and easily tuned.

You'd lose out on style and the sound of a V-8 (if buying a GT).

A performance hatch or wagon is a great swiss-army knife, you have handling on par with a coupe or sedan, similar performance with a great deal of practicality. The only thing you lose out on is a coupe style/sexyness. Just depends on what is important for you.

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